Quality Over Quantity: Choose Language Translation Services Wisely

Tue, Aug 06, 2013 09:47 CET

Quality and content are the two keywords for anyone looking to translate web content for their online business. Google’s recent Panda update highlighted the importance of both in getting noticed on the web, and business owners don’t have to be of genius intellect to work out that providing high-quality content is going to attract more potential customers. However, when it comes to translation services, the idea of quality and accuracy seems to be one that is overlooked in favour of low-cost, fast-turnaround and high-quantity translations.

Domenico Messina, Director of Linguage, a translation service working with clients across the globe, says, “Translation is one of most important elements of a website, especially for businesses that wish to tap into a global market. If a company is going to spend money in translating their web content, it needs to be done properly without cutting corners; otherwise, the money ploughed into the project has been wasted, the reputation of the brand is at stake and clients visiting the site might be put off by the poor quality of the content.”

One of the most important things to verify when working with a translation service is the expertise of their translators. This is especially relevant for specialised fields like healthcare, law and marketing, all of which almost have a language within a language. Having translators who have training or experience in certain fields are the hallmark of a high-quality translation service; these services will be able to provide individuals who are well-versed in the jargon of their specialist industries, people who will understand the intricate language used in law and medicine, both in their native tongue and in the chosen translation language.

In cutting costs, many businesses decide to simply use an online translation tool for their web content. Everyone has an opinion on the effectiveness of these automated translations, and there is no doubt that the resources are improving as technology advances, but machine translations are still some way behind humans. They will never offer the same level of quality, regardless of the advanced nature of the software. Machines and automated translation services do not interpret content in the context of certain cultures, industries or markets, and the all-important keywords that flag up certain sites on search engines are not worked into the content in any way. This can be detrimental to the business’ chances of achieving global success on the web, and is a prime example of why companies should choose quality over speed or cost when considering their translation options.

An experienced translation agency founded in Italy, Linguage uses translators, transcribers and cultural specialists from 80 countries across the globe to provide quick, accurate and confidential translation services